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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | Okay boys, so let's have some fruitful discussion this winter. As I was tending to the mess in manland yesterday, I noticed that I have 3 baits I would say are my mainstay.
1. Bucktails (for obvious reasons)
2. Rubber, rubber, and more rubber
3. Cranks (minnow baits and true deep diving cranks)
This past year, I put close to 75% of my fish in the net using either cranks, or rubber. In July and August, as well as October, the majority of my fish came on these baits. However, whenever reading posts or articles, you rarely hear about people fishing cranks. Are that many people not using them, or do we just not hear about fish caught on these things as blades tend to get the spotlight.
Admittedly, night was the best for using cranks for me this year, and one trip to northern Wisco resulted in a 4 days fishing only 3-4 hours a night and putting 12 fish in the net, averaging 3 fish a night. While we didn't land any giants that week, we had a healthy average of 41.5"s, all on straight bodied cranks.
When do you boys break out the cranks? Could they be better utilized in some conditions verses others? Almost all of the big fish that have come into my boat over the past 5 years have come on rubber or cranks (more so than blades). What are you guys seeing? What's working, when, and how? |
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Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | Cranks suck...I hate using them!   |
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Posts: 20231
Location: oswego, il | I twitch crankbaits alot. I love using them around cover. The more erratic the better, the more wobble the better. I also throw jerkbbaits and gliders and rubber over deep water. I do not throw topwaters too much and rarely throw bucktails. |
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Posts: 175
Location: Tonka, MN | Cranks for me usually come in to play in the fall. I use them in the summer very minimally since they dont seem to produce for me. I guess I am stuck in a rut since I dont get any fish in the net with them. Like I said, I use them but not as much as I should be. The majority of the people I fish with have little faith in them for some reason. We try to bounce ideas off of each other and when that comes out of my mouth its a straight no. |
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| for me cranks perform better when they are trolled,i tend to prefer the jointed one for the summer and the straight one for cold front or late fall
when the fish is near the weed and shallow i prefer to cast some plastic or blades |
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | I guess I should add, I do catch them trolling in spring summer and fall, but I guess casting seems to be underutilized. I know I tend to fish a lot of deeper water verses just pounding weeds which may be one reason, could the strain of fish matter too? Seems from what I've read and experienced (from a Wisconsin standpoint) that our fish tend to hold in deeper water, and deeper in the water column more so than our MN counterparts. With that said, I've never fished MN, so that's just a claim that could or could not be right, so take it for what it's worth.
I love picking apart weedlines, timber, and breaklines with cranks, fishing them nice and easy, and picking apart anything they run into down there. Basically like fishing a jig or worm through the weeds for bass or walleye, outside of the fact that the cranks usually float up out of the stuff on the pause verses burrying down in the cover. Suspendos love them as well, but I've had very good success (as well as others such as Travis) working deeper cover and suspendos, as well as shallower weedlines and rocks. |
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Posts: 35
| Great topic Joel. I don't have much confidence in cranks until fall, but like most I don't troll them till later in the year either. I started mixing in twitched 10" jakes which has gotten follows, short strikes, but no fish in the net. Other times we've raised fish is when they aren't going on blades or rubber so a deep crank will raise them but nothing enticing enough as they don't engage. The one thing you mention is using them at night which I've tried minimally so that's a good tip. Do many of you cast down along the break vs up on the break? |
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Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | I will just get you warmed up with this.
Read the link on a post from the past. This will get you warmed up to my thoughts on cranks. When I get time I will add more...maybe.
http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=55...
I think cranks are overrated, and no one should use them!
Edited by CiscoKid 1/27/2011 11:03 AM
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Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | Also for those that may be able to get their hands on a copy. Esox Angler had a great two part article on crankbaiting from Paul Klein several years ago. Read it if you can find it. Another good start.
Here is another from Howie Meyer:
http://www.fishinfo.com/fishing-articles/article_333.shtml
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | I think that's where some are thrown off of cranks, thinking you can only troll them. I used to troll much more than I do now, but in the past, trolling in the spring and summer accounted for a lot of fish on cranks. Now I tend to change it up and use rubber or casting cranks when there's a lot of trolling pressure.
As for casting them on structure, I tend to cast parallel to quartering the structure, trying to get it as close to the cover as possible, and for as long as possible during the cast. You'll learn spots by the feel of the crank, and will understand the deeper edges much better using cranks this way. Another interesting thing at night is one Depth Raider in particular that gets chomped at night on quite a few different lakes is a straight DR in a white color. So don't think you can only throw jointed baits at night. Also, those fish that you're seeing during the day on cranks are the fish I target at night with them. We'll raise fish earlier in the evening on the same spots on other baits (including topwaters), then go back in the dark and those same fish are eating cranks for us.
One thing I've learned from Travis is that ripping hard on cranks can get their attention and get them to eat as well (during the day, as I don't tend to fish as erratic at night). This seems to call them in from a ways away. I'll defer that to Travis though, as I've learned alot about that approach from Travis.
nate_r21 - 1/27/2011 10:50 AM
Great topic Joel. I don't have much confidence in cranks until fall, but like most I don't troll them till later in the year either. I started mixing in twitched 10" jakes which has gotten follows, short strikes, but no fish in the net. Other times we've raised fish is when they aren't going on blades or rubber so a deep crank will raise them but nothing enticing enough as they don't engage. The one thing you mention is using them at night which I've tried minimally so that's a good tip. Do many of you cast down along the break vs up on the break? |
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Posts: 172
| I do use cranks maybe 40% of the time. Only success I had is at Wisconsin and one specific lake in minn. I should use cranks at night.
Joel do u use rattle or no rattle crank at night? U reel them in straight when a couple rip per cast? |
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | I don't like rattles much at all in my cranks. I'm sure there are times and places for them, and I have seen some days where I need to have a rattle. With that being said, at night, I typically am throwing something with no rattles in it. Just using the vibration from the bait to make the "noise". I don't rip and twitch them at night much outside of popping it off of weeds and sometimes throwing way shallow and pounding the bottom. I usually try to contact the cover though at night when fishing structure which does put out some extra disturbance. |
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Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | Joel doesn't your white night bait have rattles?
I run my cranks with jerks night and day. Maybe a few less jerks at night sometimes, but usually every fish that eats a crank at night for me is after the jerk.
I run probably 50/50 with rattle cranks and non rattle cranks. If you don't like rattles you are missing out on some of the best cranks out there (Ernies, Jakes, DR's).
Hmmm, having troubles on where to start on this without writing a book.
Edited by CiscoKid 1/27/2011 12:37 PM
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Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | #1 key to cranks is getting the crank to kick-out sideways. Joel mentioned the hard jerk. It isn't always hard. Each crank requires a different jerk. A jerk that just shoots the bait forward in a faster wiggle isn't as good as a jerk that makes the bait jump sideways, or up. It should be a quick, short jerk, or POP. Not a big sweeping type of jerk you would see from guys working dawgs like Lejewski (sp?).
Pop-pop. or pop-pop...pop! |
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Posts: 785
| I guess I'll chime in as the guy who never throws them. I use big minnow baits a lot but never the deep divers, own lots, just don't use them. Maybe a mistake in some situations but have been having pretty solid success with tails and rubber. I also fish a lot of coontail and junk weeds which bucktails and big spinnerbaits just work well in. I almost never throw gliders or topwater baits either. |
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | CiscoKid - 1/27/2011 12:33 PM
Joel doesn't your white night bait have rattles?
IHmmm, having troubles on where to start on this without writing a book.
That particular one doesn't have rattles (I had to go check to make sure, and it doesn't). I do have the same one with rattles, and do catch fish on it as well, but this particular one seems to get bit more for me for some reason. |
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Posts: 3488
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
I actually favor the smaller cranks and minnow baits in spring. Give me a 6" grandma with heavier hooks on it, and I won't change baits all day. Twitch Twitch, pause.... the thing will just hang there... Couple more twitches, pause... All of this done with a flick of the wrist, not a pull. Gets a little tiring and I do have sore forearms after a day of doing this, but it is well worth it!!
I will throw deep diving cranks all year. I rip them a bit, but there is always a pause in there somewhere.
At night, I'll crank them straight and let them hit and bang vegetation, keeping the rod tip parallel to the water's surface and lower it when the bait is directly below me for a finishing figure 8. Hit a weed...pause..maybe twitch it, then slow crank...hit another weed...pause... Same routine. Deadly!!
Steve |
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Location: SE Wisconsin | Windy days when fish don't want to come up and eat - these are my preferred weather instances when I'll break out a DDD or DepthRaider.
I don't necessarily relate seasons to crankbaits, as I saw someone mentioned Autumn as their preferred time to use them - I'd be interested in understand that, though. After fishing rubber for so long, I've personally been able to attack most of the depths I need to be consistently, so I suppose it's maybe a matter of preference if I decide to throw rubber or hard plastic to get down.
I've jumped around with the idea that the intense wobble of a rip retrieve with a crank may create more water displacement, or underwater wake then say, rubber. Rubber have wide and round heads that push water, sort of leaving an underwater "wake" in it's tracks, plus the erratic tail creates some turbulance, but maybe not as much as that wobble-wobble retrieve from a crank. Then you have the visual perspective to consider between rubber and cranks. In clearer water it may not matter, but maybe the flash of an orange bellied crank as it belly rolls and wobbles side to side could have more calling power than a blurry shade of yellow or green, what have you, gliding past. . . So I suppose I'm leaning towards darker water here.
Blades get all sorts of attention on the boards - their the most widely used.. probably because their easy and a staple. |
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Posts: 20231
Location: oswego, il | Travis is nailing it. I rip and twitch cranks. Make them go crazy. I cannot think of a place I regularly fish that I have not caught them on crankbaits. They are also not the same. Some work alot better than others. The more erratic the better unless the water is really cold. |
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Location: SE Wisconsin | The erraticness is what I particularly love about the D's. At the end of a rip the tail tends to swing or glide out, kind of like a car turning 90 degrees during an abrupt stop. Now they don't swing one way or the other the same on every rip, and that's the best bit about them, their movement is unpredictable. DR's tend to have a tighter wobble and finish laterally on the rip. . Good point, Todd. |
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Location: SE Wisconsin | CiscoKid - 1/27/2011 12:40 PM #1 key to cranks is getting the crank to kick-out sideways. Exactly |
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Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | Sam Ubl - 1/27/2011 2:12 PM
The erraticness is what I particularly love about the D's. At the end of a rip the tail tends to swing or glide out, kind of like a car turning 90 degrees during an abrupt stop. Now they don't swing one way or the other the same on every rip, and that's the best bit about them, their movement is unpredictable. DR's tend to have a tighter wobble and finish laterally on the rip. . Good point, Todd.
Most cranks will kick out like the DDD's! Some better than others. It's all in knowing what to do with the crank. Some cranks will have a much more serious kick out than the DDD!
The DDD just popularized the kickout as it is easy to do with it. |
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Posts: 2865
Location: Brookfield, WI | I believe some fishermen just have a better touch when it comes to working certain kinds of baits, and cranks fall into that category. Twitching, ripping, etc., some people are just flat out better at it, and those that aren't rarely have the patience or stamina to learn the techniques.
Being successful with crank and twitch baits is the equivalent of having a good short game in golf.
Kevin
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Location: SE Wisconsin | I'll say one thing about the DDD's that's maybe not as positive sounding as how I usually refer to them. I think they sink too slow and sometimes force you to make long sweeping rips just to get down to where you want to be, which might mean it's staying dry in instances where I'd prefer to pop-pop...pop with twiches - suppose that's where a sinking Ernie might come into play. |
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Location: SE Wisconsin | Kevin, I think you're right about that. Realistically, the majority of us face limited precious time on the water and that makes for a decision to be made between fishing with something you know how to use and have confidence in, even if conditions don't necessarily call for it, OR dedicating a trip or two towards using a lure that's been riding the pine for too long but must have been mfg'ed for a reason In my case, a few expensive H2O Hardheads have been dry for all too long so I asked for guidance (Travis) and plan to give that proven lure it's time to shine after spending a day learning how to get the basics down. . . I remember Travis, slow and straight retrieve with subtle pops on occasion...right?  |
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Posts: 35
| I'm more confident with the bigger cranks 10"+ since I've seen more fish on them so I keep throwing them. I got a couple DDD's, a little ernie, and a 6" slammer which are smaller in size, but just don't stay clipped on long and mostly after nothing else works.
That's true that its a more specialized technique then casting and retrieving a topwater, but I think most even occasional muskie guys would like a more well rounded game. Helps you get through those days of struggling on the water! |
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Location: Not far enough north! | This is an interesting topic from my perspective. Down here in IL I grew up fishing cranks; Jakes and depthraiders mainly until the addition of some of the newer ones. I do really like the DDDs with the neutral bouyancy you can get them down to depth and they stay there. Interesting note 10" jakes twitch easier than 8" but do not have near the swing... To this day I have never caught a fish on a bucktail in IL! had follows and fish in the boat on them but never on my rod. Spinner baits are a different story caught fish on them here. The exact is opposite in my canadian experiences (Summer only) have boated one fish on a jake and all the rest have been either on bucktails or spinners. It seems like up there when the fish are on they will eat a bucktail and that is easy... Raised plenty on cranks and rubber but went back and hair usually gets um at the right time.
One of my favorite presentations happens to be twitching a legend outcast. Magic for twitchin over weeds! If you can throw a bucktail over weeds bet your arse there is a crank that will fit the application too...
I wonder if it has something to do with the forage?
Rick
Edited by Farmer Rick 1/27/2011 3:59 PM
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Posts: 2361
| I think it has more to do with the depth. Cranks are situational, as are most baits. |
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Posts: 1530
| c ranks are underated but. Used as a tool are deadly. Afloating crank casted can be twitched and pulled where another bait will sink.. on the other end cranks that troll are deadly on suspended fish. learning where to run cranks in the water column will greatly increase catch rates.wooden cranks have more wander and walk that triggers fish.. if you ever pull planer boards you could only agree. cranks wwwalk and rock. |
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| I use three main lures from December through March. Here in the Southern resevoirs some of the best fishing of the year is the cold months. For me, a Gliders, Rubber and Cranks are the ticket. Ripping or twitching cranks have produced year after year. I like a 6-inch straight crank with a curly tail trailor. Like some of you said, the more eratic, the better. I don't put the cranks up in the spring or summer either.
Hickster |
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | firstsixfeet - 1/27/2011 4:20 PM
I think it has more to do with the depth. Cranks are situational, as are most baits.
They are definitely a different tool and situational like most baits, however at least in my area, the fish tend to spend a good amount of time in deeper water a good amount of time. From April all the way through the end of the year, it's common for me to throw cranks, however usually in July through early September and then again in late October through the end of the year they tend to shine for me as the fish seem to be holding deeper in the water column. When they are up higher, the big minnow baits (10" Jakes, 10" Slammers) seem to shine when they are eating cranks. So I think there are more situations where they can be used when they aren't even looked at as an option.
To Kevin's point, a person could litterally set up on a weededge during the summer, set up parallel, and cast to the edges and learn really quickly how to fish a weededge effectively with a crank. Knowing how the weeds feel as the bait hits them, how the bait feels if it catches some weeds, how to pop them off..... Developing that feel will definitely help a person become a better weed fisherman with a crank. I know that touch has helped put countless numbers of fish in my boat just off weedlines alone. Then you throw in the pops and such for fishing weedlines, cleaner breaklines, and suspendos and you have a few new ways in which to target these fish as a go to pattern, not just a pattern to try when the fish aren't moving on blades or topwaters. |
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Posts: 70
| i love casting cranks, had alot of success last summer working parrallel to weed edges , in pockets, and banging rocks.
worked it every way possible , had a 42 hit at boat side while i was checking the rate of rise on a bait, most of the fish where caught on cranks and as mentioned early by others , the "roll" was a must.
cranks are not just for breakfast anymore, it's an under utilized tool (my meaningless opinion)
bob |
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Posts: 880
Location: New Berlin,Wisconsin,53151 | Joel, great to hear that your able to climb out from the diaper pile. Shouldn't be about time for another one? LOL. I have some great luck with the DDD, Jake, and Slamer baits twitched slowly, gliders like phantoms, undertakers work also. Rubber sucks and I don't have much confidence with using them so therefore I don't toss them much. |
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Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | firstsixfeet - 1/27/2011 4:20 PM
I think it has more to do with the depth. Cranks are situational, as are most baits.
I would disagree! I will agree with Joel’s comment’s on the same quote though.
As effective as rubber is the fish have days they won’t touch them. It is usually these days that I will fish a crank, at the same depth as the rubber, and get bit. Give me one lure style to use, and I want it to be a crank. It just flat out works from opener to close. There is no time in the season I don’t use cranks. They are very under rated early in the season especially, and I am talking the full size cranks. Most guys will be chucking bucktails and gliders for opener, but not me. Get out a bit deeper than the shallow water pounders, strap on a crank, and get jiggy with it. I love the opener out on the deep weed edge with a crank as the larger fish are usually out there while the little males are still shallow.
Joel touched on it already, and that is learning weed edges as well as all structures. If there is one thing I like as much as fishing suspended it is banging structure with cranks. I think a lot of people are afraid to do it. I do the same for walleyes and smallmouth bass. Not only does that bait banging around trigger a lot of strikes, it also clues you into the underwater world. I equate it to those that fish creatures like Worrel, except I feel I can cover more water quicker with cranks and still learn what’s going on down there. Chuck the crank up onto the weed edges and beyond, and bring them back to you. If you didn’t hit weeds toss it farther up into the gooch. Do this until you start hitting weeds. This way you learn your boundary of how far to cast. You will also learn if there is a patch of weeds that runs a bit higher than the rest, and it is here that you may get that hit. It is of my opinion that if you are not hitting weeds every once in awhile then you are not effectively fishing that weed edge. Same deal with rocky points and bars/humps. Bounce those babies off the rocks. Learn where there may be rocks within a sand or gravel bottom. Where there may be boulders amongst rocks. It is those areas that make the spot on the spot. Things you don’t learn with a bucktail, glider/jerk, or rubber. Let those baits dig bottom on occasion. It will telegraph back through the rod what is down there. That said having a good quality rod helps.
Sure cranking RIGHT takes a bit of feel and practice. However why do something if you aren’t going to do it right. Don’t look for the immediate gratification. Take time to learn what you can do with a crank, and learn your water with it. The time you think you are wasting in all reality will just make future days on the water that much more productive. There is a reason some of the most successful anglers, whether it be bass, walleye, musky, etc… are very good at fishing cranks. It is more than just Depth control, and the situation. I can fish a bucktail at any depth, and they won’t always get bit.
Prior to musky fishing take time and practice on other fish. The walleye opener in WI isn’t always thought of as a crankbait time for them. Common practice is jig/minnow, leech, or slip bobber rig. Sure some guys do the crank thing at night way shallow. I have had great luck cranking during the day for walleyes during the opener. Lots of guys give me funny looks as I am cruising around casting like crazy. However, they quickly start rummaging through their boxes looking for cranks when I am out producing their livebait rigging!
To be continued…
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | sharpen the lips of a shallow raider and with a rod held high ... rip and twitch it through the slop. depth means nothing when it comes to working a crank bait.
crankbaits rule the roost in my casting deck ... |
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Posts: 2361
| Just because things CAN be done, doesn't mean they SHOULD be done. You can throw any bait 24/7, in all situations, but there can be a horrible drop off in efficiency doing it. I can type several paragraphs about it, but it won't say it any better. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | I use to throw d raiders a lot, caught lots of fish on them, haven't really thrown em as much last few years...still a time and place for them, about the only cranks I throw these days are triple d's and some customs...
one could probably take a mag dawg, a double 10 and a crank and cover just about any situation..... |
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Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | I speak for fishing in WI and the U.P. of MI as far as crankin goes. Sure there are times another lure is a better choice, and I fish it. However, it is rare in waters I fish that cranks are not one of your best options. As far as efficiency goes unless you are running and gunning it is tough to beat a crank. The drawing power they have to attract fish from a distance is huge. That is if you fish them the “right” way.
It is tough to argue with results that guys like Paul Klein have in WI. I am not just talking about a year or two with a new lure either. The guy fishes the same baits year in and year out, for the last 20+ years, and catches a pile of big fish. He doesn’t buy very many new ones, and when he does it is usually because I told him about some great new crank. Majority of the time he is throwing a crank as well as his clients.
Learn to use a crank, and a lot of different ones, and you will realize that you don’t have much of a need for a lot of other lure styles.
I agree with Brad. While I am not a big tail guy, between cranks and rubber you don’t need too much other lures most of the time.
One other tip especially if you fish tourneys. Day one is usually a huge rubber bite for most guys. However by the end of day one and into day two that starts to fizzle. Strap on a crank and you may be pleasantly surprised when you think the fish have been over pressured.
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | Are crankbaits underrated? Yes or maybe people just don't like to fish them. I think TK and Joel have covered the how and why pretty well. I'll simply add some stats by lure category that cover many years and thousands of fish.
Cranks 43%
Rubber 31%
Jerkbaits, Bucktails, Jigs 26%
IMO you need to be good with a crankbait in all seasons covering deep to shallow. |
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Posts: 743
| "are crankbaits under rated?". wow...neat question. this is a guess, i didnt do all my research, but i'd hazzard to say in the last 20 years, 15 of the 20 biggest muskies caught in the world, came on crankbaits. (covering any and all musky waters). no..i dont think they are underrated. |
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | Thanks for the productive comment dude. As you can see by some of the comments just in this thread, they don't always get used as much. To say that a couple handfuls of big fish are caught on them doesn't show whether or not they are under-utilized. I'm not talking mearly about trolling, but casting as well. I think the blades and what not get so much more paper time so to speak, that cranks aren't really part of a person's go to bait pile. My experience (for what that is worth) is that people troll them for sure, but not much in the way of casting in multiple arenas.
How much time do you give cranks a year Tomcat? Just looking for some good discussion through the winter verses the traditional banter. |
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Posts: 56
Location: Southern MN | Interesting thread, I haven't used cranks nearly as much as other baits but was thinking I should give them a little more time next year. |
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | tuffy1 - 1/28/2011 12:50 PM I think the blades and what not get so much more paper time so to speak, that cranks aren't really part of a person's go to bait pile. My experience (for what that is worth) is that people troll them for sure, but not much in the way of casting in multiple arenas. I hope this gets people thinking about their lure selection – good job for bringing this up Joel. Being one of those people that always want to know WHY. I would be interested to see the use broken down by a years fishing. Is there a trend toward rubber and tails with people that started in the last ten years? Is there a trend toward crankbaits for people that have been in this longer than 10 years? BN - I don't think it is coincidence that the guy down in PA sells plenty of cranks to the guys posting in this thread. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | just a guess but i would bet guys that just started musky fishing in the last 5 or 6 yrs don't use cranks as much...the plastic and double 10 craze is the reason...I have been fishing 18 yrs for ski's and use to throw cranks A LOT but got away from them for a bit but now I throw them quite a bit but the arsenal of what I throw is way smaller....d raiders, triple ds and customs is about all I throw...confidence in those and I don't waste my time with others...sure they work but I know what has worked for big ones and stick to that....cranks are underutilized across the board tho imo |
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Posts: 100
Location: W-PA | I started fishing skis at a young age back in the early 90's. At the time, I had a couple hand me down bombers, a grandma and a cisco kid. Basically, throw out and straight retrieve with a few twitches. I did well on them, but moved on to newer baits like rubber, topwaters, and bucktails. Having had success with the new baits, I didn't give the old standby's much time. Several years ago, while in a rut, I went back to some cranks that I had previously had success with and really put the time into fishing them differently and correctly in ways some of you suggest. In the right situations, I have since had great success while using cranks. |
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Posts: 743
| hey Tuffy1, i use cranksbaits about 10% of the time i'm casting. unless you count kickin minnow and shadallics as crankbaits, then i use cranks about 25% to 30% of the time i'm casting. I go trolling once a year. usually for a week. at all times i have at least two cranksbaits in the water when i'm trolling. i try to trolling other baits when i'm trolling crankbaits (pounders, bucktails) but i seem to catch the most and biggest on crankbaits, when i'm trolling (which is only 8 days a year). i don't think crankbaits are underrated. |
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Posts: 1937
Location: Black Creek, WI | I tend to use cranks when a PAUSE is needed to get bit. Usually in deep water or when fish are tight to cover and in AMBUSH mode rather than CHASE mode. Cranks for me are basically a Glide Bait with depth control (see all the comments from others on the importance of a "kickout"). Twitch Baits for shallow applications and deep divers for very erratic shallow presentations or drive them down fast and "walk the dog" at depths most gliders can't reach efficiently. |
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| Crankbaits are overrated.
Much of the attention given to crankbaits is from the lure manufacturers and those given a free lure or two to plug them.
Muskies move into shallower water and up higher to feed.
Bucktails and the old wooden jerk baits are still the best in mho.
Rubber is nice for bumping the bottoms of the deep holes for the rare giant hog just laying deep.
Crankbaits are easily mass produced and the profit margins are high.
You see many crank bait guys popping up to make and sell every style and color imaginable to the group of "muskie pros" that were spawned by the tv fishing shows that became popular in the last thirty years.
When I want to catch fish I go to the water where the fish are biting.
Pay less attention to the guys at "shows", less attention to the "tinsel guys", and less attention to the guys that write to listen to themselves. Becoming a "pro" today simply means paying an entry fee in a tournament. The best fishermen i know come from generations of fishermen, are low key, catch alot of fish, and look for musky water to catch fish, not crankbait hype. |
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Posts: 1937
Location: Black Creek, WI | Wow, Oldtimer has some passion. Yah.... if you are free to roam and chase the hot bite.... or can time your trips for when fish are shallow and accessible.... you can efficiently and effectively catch lots of muskies... and big muskies without crankbaits. When forced to fish as time permits (work and family commitments) or the lake is already chosen (own a cabin on lake, tournament, vacation destination, etc), crankbaits are a tool that can help. Do you NEED to use them? Nope. But for those ignoring them, they may be missing opportunities. I think that was the whole point of this discussion, wasn't it? Nobody is saying you MUST use cranks to become a better fisherman. But I'd tend to agree that if you are not considering how they can help you.... well.... your opportunities are limited. |
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Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | Oldtimer - 1/31/2011 1:03 AM
Crankbaits are overrated.
Much of the attention given to crankbaits is from the lure manufacturers and those given a free lure or two to plug them.
Muskies move into shallower water and up higher to feed.
Bucktails and the old wooden jerk baits are still the best in mho.
Rubber is nice for bumping the bottoms of the deep holes for the rare giant hog just laying deep.
Crankbaits are easily mass produced and the profit margins are high.
You see many crank bait guys popping up to make and sell every style and color imaginable to the group of "muskie pros" that were spawned by the tv fishing shows that became popular in the last thirty years.
When I want to catch fish I go to the water where the fish are biting.
Pay less attention to the guys at "shows", less attention to the "tinsel guys", and less attention to the guys that write to listen to themselves. Becoming a "pro" today simply means paying an entry fee in a tournament. The best fishermen i know come from generations of fishermen, are low key, catch alot of fish, and look for musky water to catch fish, not crankbait hype.
I don’t know this sounds like a ploy to sell more bucktails and jerkbaits! |
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | jlong - 1/31/2011 9:19 AM
Wow, Oldtimer has some passion. Yah.... if you are free to roam and chase the hot bite.... or can time your trips for when fish are shallow and accessible.... you can efficiently and effectively catch lots of muskies... and big muskies without crankbaits. When forced to fish as time permits (work and family commitments) or the lake is already chosen (own a cabin on lake, tournament, vacation destination, etc), crankbaits are a tool that can help. Do you NEED to use them? Nope. But for those ignoring them, they may be missing opportunities. I think that was the whole point of this discussion, wasn't it? Nobody is saying you MUST use cranks to become a better fisherman. But I'd tend to agree that if you are not considering how they can help you.... well.... your opportunities are limited.
Well said Jlo! |
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| LOL I wish “profit margins are high” In my opinion there’s not a lot of money to be made selling musky lures. Most do it for the love of the sport and run things near their break-even point.
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Posts: 909
Location: South-Central VA | Oldtimer - 1/31/2011 2:03 AM
Crankbaits are overrated.
Much of the attention given to crankbaits is from the lure manufacturers and those given a free lure or two to plug them.
Muskies move into shallower water and up higher to feed.
Bucktails and the old wooden jerk baits are still the best in mho.
Rubber is nice for bumping the bottoms of the deep holes for the rare giant hog just laying deep.
Crankbaits are easily mass produced and the profit margins are high.
You see many crank bait guys popping up to make and sell every style and color imaginable to the group of "muskie pros" that were spawned by the tv fishing shows that became popular in the last thirty years.
When I want to catch fish I go to the water where the fish are biting.
Pay less attention to the guys at "shows", less attention to the "tinsel guys", and less attention to the guys that write to listen to themselves. Becoming a "pro" today simply means paying an entry fee in a tournament. The best fishermen i know come from generations of fishermen, are low key, catch alot of fish, and look for musky water to catch fish, not crankbait hype.
LOL, you've obviously never 'mass-produced' hand-made wooden crankbaits in your basement. Did you know I have about 1 hour of time in each bait that I make? Profit margin?!? What's that? Throw in overhead and you've got just about minimum wage. I don't do it for the money, I do it because I enjoy it.
Rubber and bucktails are 'mass-produced' just as much as plastic crankbaits. And I'm sure the profit margin is just as high if not higher on them.
Sounds like you need to things. First, step outside and take a breath of fresh air. Second, find someone to give you a big 'ol hug.
jeremy |
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Posts: 994
Location: Minnesota: where it's tough to be a sportsfan! | A great question! I think cranks suck too, so much that I have collected more than my share and catch a number of fish on them too. I think that allot of the distaste comes from a more subtle action and hits that they can draw. Then you have the fish that takes it as gently as a freight train! I do not troll much, 99% casting. The freight train hits almost always result form a "contact". One of my favorites is to get downwind on a point with cabbage cast over the last remaining strands dive the bait and ram the bottom of the weed stalk. I like a very bouyant crank for this. The bait rises and I ram it in again & let it backup and rise. If there's a fish around about 4-5 times is all you get. The twitch baits are a great bait too. I think most guys work them tooooo easy. If you get the bait, leader, line combo right a good twitch bait will do things a bait really can't do. But like I said cranks suck! |
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| Interesting thread...i have very little confidence in cranks for musky, I just can't crack the code with them. Odd thing is I walleye fish almost 100% with cranks and rarely ever buy bait any more.
I have a couple lakes that have good deep cabbage edges and midlake bars that should set up well for cranks but I just can't get them to move on cranks...rubber, spinners and jerks all move fish. Can't imagine what i am doing wrong.
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| bowhunter29 - 1/31/2011 12:49 PM
Did you know I have about 1 hour of time in each bait that I make? Profit margin?!? What's that? Throw in overhead and you've got just about minimum wage. I don't do it for the money, I do it because I enjoy it.
jeremy
Are you THE "crazy crankbait maker in PA"??? If so, how can I go about buying some? Crankbait fanatic here |
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Posts: 909
Location: South-Central VA | Crankhead - 1/31/2011 3:49 PM
Are you THE "crazy crankbait maker in PA"??? If so, how can I go about buying some? Crankbait fanatic here
I know that there are a few guys in PA that make some quality crankbaits and I'd like to think I'm one of them. But I don't think I'm the guy that they are referring to.
I tried sending you a PM but was unsuccessful. Send me a PM or an email if you're interested: [email protected]
I do the crazy snake skin baits and I also paint a few. I can do custom work if you'd like (different lengths, diving depths, etc.) I'm not into big production, I prefer to do fewer baits and focus on quality rather than quantity. You can view some of my work here: http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=58...
jeremy |
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Posts: 56
Location: Southern MN | Bowhunter, those snake skin baits look amazing, I don't know if I'd actually be able to fish with them and get them marked up! |
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Are crankbaits underrated? When do you break them out?